Book-To-Movie Adaptation: Ender's Game

Ender's Game

Running Time: 114 minutes

Rating: PG-13

Release Date: November 1, 2013

Genre: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi

Director: Gavin Hood

Writers: Gavin Hood (screenplay), Orson Scott Card (book)

Stars: Harrison Ford, Asa Butterfield, Hailee Steinfeld

Source

*WARNING CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR BOOK AND MOVIE*

     Overall, I thought that the movie adaptation of Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card was excellent. I believe the movie followed the book's plot for the most part. There were some minor details that were left out or changed in the movie but were kept out to shorten the length of the movie.
     However, one major thing that the movie left out was the storyline of Valentine and Peter becoming Demosthenes and Locke. I thought this was a major part of the book that revealed more of Valentine's and Peter's characteristics and their ability to work together to attempt to rule the world. This exclusion will make it harder for Ender to understand Peter's true nature and that he's not entirely evil.
     In addition, the movie left out the bantering between Ender and Bernard. Bernard didn't seem as much as an enemy towards Ender and didn't seem to bother him as much.
     Also, the ending of the movie was set up differently than the book's ending. It seemed as if the director was setting up for a sequel already. They skipped the part when Ender and Valentine, in the future, went to "Ender's World"and Ender wrote the Speaker of the Dead novel and Valentine wrote the stories of Ender's life. Instead, the movie showed Ender after the battle depressed, then had a dream about the video game he played in the battle school. Ender ran out into the open planet of Eros, with Petra chasing after him, and finding the egg of the queen. I realize now that they made it this way so Ender will do the rest of the exploring in the possible sequel.
     Some things that I enjoyed were the special effects. I really liked how they set up the spaceship that launched the students to the battle school. They did a magnificent job with the zero-gravity effects. I thought it looked real how all of the students were flying off their seats as they were launched up into space. Also the battle room and the light guns were very well done. It looked very futuristic with the metal "stars" and the lights shooting from the gun.
     Additionally, the actors who played the characters were right on. Asa Butterfield looked just how I imagined Ender but older. He was perfectly between the shy and self-conscious side and the menacing, serious side. Harrison Ford also played a very good Colonel Graff. He looked the part and played it with greatness. He was protective over Ender without showing it and was also stern with the other students. He spoke with Major Anderson about Ender with extreme confidence while still speaking with all seriousness. Moises Arias was too small, in my opinion, for the role of Bonzo. In the book, Bonzo was described as a big shot and towered Ender. In the movie, Bonzo was muscular but lacked height. When he came face-to-face with Ender, Ender was much taller than him and looked down on him which didn't seem believable to me.
     In conclusion, I felt that the overall movie was very comparable to the book. Although the movie  left out some parts of the book, it made up for it with awesome special effects and a great cast.